Poultry brooder



Sept. 6, 1932. H. M. CRAWFORD ET AL POULTRY BROODER Filed Oct. 1 5, 19295 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 6 1932 H M. CRAWFORD ET AL 1,876,325

` POULTRY' BROODER Sept. 6, 1 932. H` M. CRAWFORD ET AL 1,876,325'

POULTRY BROODER Filed oct. 15, 1929 5 sheets-#sheet 3 Sept. 6, 1932. H.M. CRAWFORD ET AL POULTRY BROODERl Filed 0G11. l5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4l Iii. n I I I 1 Il l lll-lll! Hull lllllllll l 'd Sept 61' POULTRYBRooDER.

Filed Oct. 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 Unirsestares- Per enr eenen CORPORATION OF OREGON LLS COMPANY, OFPORTI1'A\ND,, OREGON, As

nonnmnY Bananen applicativa mea ottone. 15,v m29.4 serial. mi; searing.`

Oiur invention relates to. poultry broodersf andi thev like.. e

In., the raising of. young; chicls., which are hatched in incubators,uit is the well lr'nown practice( te house them i'n` the so-vcalled`broeder Wadaptedfto simulatie' as far as pos.- siblethe conditions underwhich the mother. hen. would` have raised them had they beennaturallyborn.

The young chiclis are, very sensitive to lcol'di4 and wettheeffects.of'whichreduce their.

vitality andloause themt'o be subjeetto vari'-A ous. diseases from,whieh they seldom fully recoven, andA which, are directly traceable "v;fromfimproper housing or broodingr condi# tions;

In; the types ofbroodens in thepnesent' use,`

which are heated. from above the; colder stratum=of airtendstoflie onthefloor, so, that l thev chicks? legs, andf'eetare col'dggwhile theirheads and bodies yare in the upper warmer stratum.A Thisi conditiontends to cause7 the so+calledi leg;` weakness, resulting from cold,

i feet.V l

Further, lin, the types. of'brood'ers in which the heat is suppliedftromunde.rneaththe-flbor is generally in. dinectjcontactvwith the source f'of heat,.which` in the case of`accident'al2 over heating is liable toburnthe chicks. flso over heating of thebroodfer chamberisazfrequent.causeoi brooder pneumonia and?V the lrle,.s1nce the chicks become overheated in.

the brooder and thenrun out' to the relatively colder outer air, wherethey eooll oil too Thehefore the object ofY our invention is to Yprovide an improved and' eiiicient' broodier,

adapted to simulate the conditions under which chicks brought up by themother hen.

are raised.

A turther object of our invention is to,

provide a well" vent'ilatedfbrooder adapted. t'o be indirectly heated.from underneath and. so. constructed that there will be noV lire hazardfrom` the heater chambenv, and toY provide in combination, economical;andpracti'cal heat transmittal`11gggf1r1 -2ans;and a- Y,thermostat'iccontroli, whereby the brooder' chamber will' be evenly and efficientlyheated? and'- ventilated, and inwhichthe-chicks will" be so com.-

fortablyhoused that'they will not'crowd togetherforwarmth and willremain healthy and. unaffected by theY diseases which arecommonamongthel'oo-l provide our brooder with a socalledscratchingshedgwhichwe'-propose tohjeat at a temperature slightly above that oft the outeryat"- Y mosphere by means of the waste heatfrom the*- brooder,`wherebyfthe chicks will not pass directly fromthe: relatively coldlouter atmosphere to the'- Warm"ii1teribr` of the bro'od'er chamber.' 'iy n 2 Weattain-these objects in a poultry brood er comprising-ahousi'nga longitudinal partitionl inl said housing dividing the latterinto a broeder chamber and a scratching shed;`

openings in the partition connectingitjhe one Aeiiicient' ventilationlof the brooder chamber.

A lbor 'is' providedl' in the brooderfchamberand al removable falsefloor located' abovey i saidlloor forming a coil chamber'in which hotwater coils are arranged',lvents in the wall at each.' side; ofi saidlcoilV chamber, covers con'- trollingsaidvents, means operatinggsaidlcov# `erstl'1e vents atone side of said coilfA chamber opening into saidscratching shed, whereby the escaping heat from the coil chamber willwarm said scratching shed.

A heater chamber is provided at one end of said coil chamber, in which aheating element is located for heating the said hot water coils andoperative means are provided connecting the door operating means of saidcoil chamber with said heating element, whereby when said doors areopened said heating element will be cut off.

These objects and other incidental features of our invention, as well asthe details of construction and mode of operation are hereinafter fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3 and illust-ratesthe relative arrangement of the broeder chamber and scratching shed;

Fig.l 2 shows a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 and illustratesfurther details of construction;

lFig. 3 shows a sectiontaken on the line B-S'fof Fig. 1 and illustratesthe arrange-` ment and construction of the heater chamber; i

Fig. 4 shows a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and illustratesfurther details of construction;

.Fig 5 shows a top plan view of our brooder partly in section andillustrates further details of construction; y

Fig. 6 shows a plan section of our broeder taken on the line 6 6 of Fig.1 with parts broken away to illustrate the relative arrangement of thehet water coils, heater element and the control means therefor;

Fig. 7 shows a section takenV on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1 and illustratesthe relative ar-v rangement of the vents controlling the coil chamber;

Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary end view of our brooder partly in section andillustrates the electric heater element and automatic control; y

, Fig. 9 shows a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 8 and illustrates theautomatic heat control when an oil heater is used.

Referring now to the figures: Our broeder comprises a housing a providedwith a central longitudinal partition Z), dividing the same into thebrooder chamber c and scratching shed d. A

The housing a is provided with a peaked roof sloping equally in eachdirection and comprising sections e, e on each side, hinged at theirupper edges to the housingframev as at p and stationary sections g, g.The peaked roof constructionV is provided to facilitate air circulationwithin th-e brooder and the hinged roof sections for convenient accessto the interior for cleaning, inspection and the like. The roof sectionse, e and g, Q are slidable tray,

spaced at their upper edges to provide a ventilation opening f, whichcommunicates with both the brooder chamber 0 or scratching shed (l, andthe cross frame members t, which support the roof sections and on whichtheir lateral edges rest, are of channel construction, so that rainleaking between the sections will be caught in the channel and preventedfrom entering the broeder chamber.

The walls and roof of the housing ai are spaced double construction,forming a dead air space as y in their centers for insulation, andwindows i, s are provided in the roof and exterior walls, covered bysuitable transparent material commonly used in such construction.

The opening f is protected by an inverted if-shaped cover g supportedover the said opening on post g. Hinged sections 71 z' are secured tothe longitudinal edges of the v -shaped cover g, which are adjustablysupported by arms la, Fig. 8, provided with notches la engageable inpins Z on the roof frame. ln this way the opening f may be entirely orpartially closed on one side or the other, depending on the atmospherictemperature and direction of the wind.V

Vents 2 are provided in the roofsections c and covers 3 are hinged toone side thereof as at 4. The covers 3 are opened and closed bythermostatic instruments 5, suitably mounted on the underside of theroof on metal straps 6 and connected to theV covers by 4pins 7. Thuschanges lin tempera-ture within the chamber will cause the'dampers toautomaticallyl open and close within predetermined limits set beforehandby adjustment of the thermostatic element.

Vents v14 provided with eaves 14a, are provided in the exterior wall aof the housing, which communicate through a passageway 15 with theinterior of the brooder chamber, through openings 16 just below theroof.

rllhe brooder chamber c is provided with a floor 10, double constructedso as to form a dead air space 100, in the center, for heat insulation.A false floor 11, consisting of a which may be withdrawn through 'anopening 11a in one end of the brooder chamber for convenience in -thecleaning of the same, is supported above the floor 1 0 and formstherewith a chamber 12 in which hot water coils 18, hereinafter morefully described, are located. y

The -coil chamber 12 is provided with vents 20 in the said wall a at oneside and with vents 21 in the partition Z9, of the other side, thelatter communicating with the scratching shed CZ.

inwardly opening covers 23 are secured to the side of the vents 20 faston rods 24 and similar covers 25 are secured to the edge of the vents 21fast on rods 26 and are adapted to open outwardly in the scratchingshed. A y rod 27 extending transversely through the coil' chamber isconnected at oneV end' to= an: arm 28 fast on the rod 24 and located onthe inside of' the coil? chamber'12, and atithe other end toan armf29fast on the rodi 26, on the outsiideof" the said coil chamber 121 andwithinthe scratching shed. p A thermostatic instrument 30is operativelyconnected by links 31' toV another arm 32 on the rod 26I By thisconstruction whenl the temperature in the coil chamber lf2 reaches apredetermined degree, the covers 23, 'will be actuated to open to admit?a current of relatively colder atmospheric air through the vent 20 whichpasses over andcools the hotwaterl coils 1-2` and then through the vent21 into the scratching shedd',`where having absorbed some oftheheat'from the coils 12, the air warms the scratching shed.

A passageway 40 is provided in thel i broeder chamber 5, communicatingwith the scratching shed, and runways 41 are provided for' theconvenience of the chicks in passing from the ground, forming theflc'oor ofthe shed to the higher level ofthe broeder floor 11". ThescratchingA shed is provided with an opening in the bottom wall',running the entire length thereof for convenience in cleaning the said'shed, and a door 43 is hinged at the top of the opening for closing Y'the same.

A heater chamber 4'5` insulated from the brooder chamber by triple wallconstruction as at 45a', is4 provided at one end of the housing a on theside ofthe broeder chamber, in which is located'a suitablev hot waterreservoir 46, heated by an electric heat'-4 ing element 47, as shownin'Fig. 8A or an oil heater 71, hereinafter described', asvl shown iny Fig. 9.

conduit pipe is longitudinally located inthe scratching shed under thepeak of, the roof, which commiuniCatesv -with the heater chamberl` atone end through a vent 507)l and with the atmosphere at the other,whereby the warm airof the said heater chamber may escape and at thesame time slight-ly warm the scratching shed'. A hood 51 is provided onthe exterior end of the conduit pipe 50 and a relatively 'smaller pipesection v50a is provid-ed4 in the end of the pipe 5,0' in the heaterchamber, which communicates with the atmosphere to permit cold air to bereadily drawn into the pipe at this end to accelerate the draft throughit. i

The heater chamber is conveniently accessible to the outside throughdoors- 48`and an opening 45a, suitably protected, is provided tofacilitate the admission of fresh air and the circulation of duit 50;

The hot water coils 13 consist of a suitable' water pipe connected ateach end withthe reservoir 46 andrunning the lengthrof the coil chamber12 which are provided with transverse connections 13a in which are proAwarm air through; the con! Y vided valves 13?), controlled by manuallyoperable'bars13c, whereby the circulation of the hot water may berestricted to a desired; part of the coill chamber'12.

ln operation, when our broeder has been heated to the requiredtemperature, air entering fromthe outside, through the vents 1'4, passesthrough the passageways 15 and enters the top of the broederchamber,`but being colder thanthe air within, drops to the bottom of thebroeder .chamber where it is inthe vents 20, 21, respectively and allowthe relatively cold air to enter and coolthe iioor 11 and coils 13. Whenthe temperature falls the operation will be reverse order.

VW'hen electric power is used for heating the hotwater coils 13, weprovide an arm 60 on the endv of the rod26 adjacent thez heater chamber,connected by a link 61 with a switch 63 in the circuit of the heaterelement 47, so that the opening of the covers 23, 2,5 will opcrate theswitch to shut olf theheating ele-I ment'. 1 l Y As shown in Fig. 9,when electric powerV is not used or is not available andan oil heater orother meansv are used, a mechanical. connection may be substituted forthe automatic control ofthe heater, In Fig. 9, assuming an oil heater isto be used, a pit is dug in the ground' beneath the heater chamlber inwhich an oil heater 71-will be located so as to be underneath` the waterreservoir 46 and the arm 60i will be connected through rods- 73 and abell crank lever 74, to the valve or wick control of the heater, so thatthe operation of the doors 23, 25 will correspondingly reducevorincrease the heat generated and hence create a: saving in fuel. n

By this construction we have provided a brooder adapted' for beingindirectly heated through the floor 11, which will keep the chicks warmand comfortable, so that they will not crowd together, and provided withthermostatically controlled heating means which 'will prevent both theunder and over` heating of the broeder. I Further by providing automaticcontrol ofthe heating means and double construction of the housingwalls, we have provided y'a brooder which maybe very economicallyheated'. i

We claim:

l. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof of said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling said vent, a vent in the lower wall portion of said chamber,a passageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a Ventilating opening in the root of the chamber, a false floorin said brooder chamber forming a coil chamber between said 'false floorand the real floor oi" said brooder chamber, hot water coils located insaid coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side ofrsaid coil chamber,thermostatically controlled covers controlling said vents and a. heaterchamber at one end ot said brooder chamber, a heating element in saidheating chamber, by which said hot water coils are heated.

2. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof of said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling saic vent, a vent in the lower wall portion ot said chamber,a passageway in said Vall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a ventilating opening in the roeiE of the chamber, manuallyadjustable means for closing` said ventilating opening, a false floor insaid brooder chamber forming a. coil chamber between said false iloorand the real floor of said brooder chamber, hot water coils located insaid coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side of said coil chamber,thermostatically controlled covers controlling said vents, a heaterchamber at one end of said brooder chamber, a heating` element in saidheating chamber by which said hot water coils are heated and operativemeans connecting the door operating` means of said coil chamber,

with said heating element, whereby when said doors are opened saidheating element will be cut oli.

3. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof o'f said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling said vent, a vent in the lower wall portion ot said chamber,a passageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a Ventilating opening in the roof oic the chamber, manuallyadjustable means for closing said ventilatopening, a removable falsefloor in said Vbrooder chamber forming a coil chamber between said falsefloor and the real floor ot said brooder chamber, hot water coilslocated in said coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side ot saidcoil chamber and thermostatically controlled covers controlling saidvents, a heater chamber at one end of said brooder chamber, an electricheating element in said heating chamber by which said hot water coilsare heated and operative means connecting the door operating means ofsaid coil chamber with said electric heating element, whereby when saiddoors are opened said heating` element will be cut olf.

4:. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof of said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling said vent, a vent in the lower wall portion of said chamber,a passageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a ventilatng opening in the roof of the chamber, manuallyadjustable means for closing said ventilating opening, a removable falsefloor in said brooder chamber forming a coil chamber between said falseioor and the real iloor of said brooderchamber, hot water coils locatedin said coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side of said coilchamber, thermostatically controlled covers controlling said vents, aheater chamber at one end of said brooder chamber, a heating element insaid heating chamber, by `which said hot water coils are heated,operative means connecting the door operating means of said coilchamber, with said heating element, whereby when said doors are openedsaid heating element will be cut o' and manually operable valves in saidhot water coils for Acontrolling the distribution of heat in the) coilchamber.

5. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof of said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling said vent, a vent in the lower wall portion of said chamber,a passageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a ventilating opening in the roof of the chamber, a false floorin said brooder chamber forming a coil chamber between said false floorand the real floor of said brooder chamber, hot water coils located insaid coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side of said coil chamber,thermostatically controlled covers controlling said vents, a. heaterchamber at one end of said brooder chamber, a heating element in saidheating chamber by which said hot water coils are heated, operativemeans connecting thedoor opera-ting means of said coil chamber, withsaid heating element, whereby when .said doors are opened said heatingelement will be cut oli", and valves in said hot water coils forcontrolling the distribution of heat in the coil chamber.

6. A. poultry brooder and the like comprising, a. brooder chamber, avent in the roof of said chamber, a thermostaticallv controlled covercontrolling said vent, aventinthelower wall portion of .said chamber, apassageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a false door in .said brooder chamber forming a coil chamberbetween said false floor and the real floor of said brooder chamber, hotwater coils located in said coil chamber, vents in the wall at each sideof said coil chamber, thermostatically wall portion of said chamber, apassagewayin said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber at thetop, a falsefloor in said brooder chamber forming a coil chamber betweensaid false floor and the real floor of said brooder chamber, hot watercoils located in said coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side ofsaid coil chamber, thermostatically controlled covers controlling saidvents, a heater chainber at one end of said brooder chamber, a

heating element in said heating chamber, by

which said hot water coils .are heated and operative means connectingthe door operating means of said coil chamber, with said heatingelement, whereby when said doors are opened said heating element will becut off.

8. A poultry brooder and the like comprising, a brooder chamber, a ventin the roof of said chamber, a thermostatically controlled covercontrolling said vent, a vent in the lower wall portion of said chamber,a passageway in said wall connecting the said vent with said chamber atthe top, a Ventilating opening in the roof of the chamber, manuallyadjustable means for closing said Ventilating opening, afalse lioor insaid-brooder chamber forming a coil chamber between said false floor andthe real floor of said brooder `chamber, hot water coils located in saidcoil chamber and vents in the wall at each side of said coil chamber,thermostatically controlled covers controlling said vents.

9. In a poultry brooder and the like, the combination of, a housinghaving an inverted V-shaped roof, a partition in said housing dividingthe latter into a brooder chamber and a scratching shed, openings in thepartition connecting the one with the other, a ventilating opening insaid rooiI communicating lwith each side of said partition, a ventin theportion of the rooil over said brooder chamber, a cover over said vent,means for operating said cover, a vent in the lower eX- terior wall oitsaid chamber, apassageway in said wall connecting the said vent withsaidchamber at the top, a floor'in said brooder chamber and a false loorlocated above said floor forming a coil chamber, hot water coilsprovided in said coil chamber, vents in the wall at each side of saidcoil chamber, covers controlling said vents, means operating saidcovers, the vents at one side.

of said coil chamber opening into said scratching shed, whereby theescaping heat trom the coil chamber will warm said scratch- .ing shed. y

` l0. In a ,poultry brooder and the like, `the `combinationof a housinghaving an inverted V-shaped .'roof, a partition in said housing .Y

-dividingvthe latterI into a brooder chamber and a scratching-shed,openings in fthe :par-

tition connecting `the 'one with the-other, a Ventilating-opening in`said roof communicating with Veach side of vsaid partitioma vent in theportion ofthe `roof-over said brooder chamber, a coverover said vent,thermostatic 4means .fiior operati-ng said cover, a vent in .the glowerexterior wal-lof saidIcham'ber, a passageway in said wall connecting thesaid vent with said chamber at the top, a floor in said brooder chamberanda removable `:false ioor locatedabove :said floor)forming a coilchamber, hot water coils arranged'in said coil chamber, vents in thewall at each side of said coil chamber, covers controlling said vents,thermostatic means operating said covers, the vents at one side of saidcoil chamber opening into said scratching shed, whereby the escapingheat from the coil chamber will warm said scratching shed, a heaterchamber at one end of said coil chamber, a heating element in saidheating chamber by which said hot water coils are-heated and opera-.tive means connecting the door operating means of said coil chamber,vwith said heating element, whereby when said doors are opened saidheating element will be cut olf.

1l. ln a poultry brooder and the like, the combination of, a housinghaving an inverted if-shaped roof and heat insulated walls, al

a vent in the portion of the roof over said brooder chamber, a coverover said vent, therj mostatic means for operatingsaid cover, a

' vent in the lower exterior wall of said chamber, a passageway insaidwall connecting the said vent with said chamber at the top,

a floor in said brooder chamber and a falseV floor located above saidfloor forming a coil chamber, hot water coils arranged in said coilchamber, vents in the wall at each side of said coil chamber, coverscontrolling said vents, thermostatic means operating said covers, thevents at one side of said coil chamberopening into said scratchingshed., whereby the escaping neat from the coil chamber will warm saidscratching shed, manually operable valves in saidhot water coils kforcontrolling the distribution of heat in the coil chamber and a .conduitpipe leading from' said heater chamber through said i whereby the wasteheat from said heater chamber will also warm said scratching shed.

12. A poultry brooder .comprising a scratching shed, y

brooder chamber, a vent n the roof of said chamber, a Cover controllingsaid Vent, thermostato means located in said brooder chamloer forooni-rollmg sald vent cover, a Vent 111 Athe lower Wall portion of saidchamber, a passageway in said Wall connecting said Vent "with saidchamber at J[he top, a coil chamber provided in the floor of saidbrooder chamber,

*hot Water coils locaed n said coil chamber,

vents in said coil chamber, covers controlling said Vents, thermostaticmeans located in said Coil chamber for controlling said vent covers andsaid thermostatic means adapted to be actuated simultaneously by thetemperatures in said brooder chamber and Coil Chamber to operate saidVent Covers.

HAZEL M. CRAWFORD.

WILLIAM POLLOGK.

